A Woman and A Scholar

"Once more, a wise word is not anyone's personal property. Sometimes, Allah causes someone who is considered as an uneducated person to utter such wise words that very learned men benefit from that. If Allah Wills, then He reforms religious scholars through women who are, in the past, regarded as incomplete in intellect," the Moon was expressing a topic after saying Basmalah and Salaam.

"The following narrative," she added, "proves that women can possess great insight and was very intelligent. Wisdom and insight is found in women too. Sometimes, they prove to be more intelligent and wise than men. This is the story of a scholar of Bani Isra'il whom a woman brought back on the right path.

Yahya bin Sa'eed said that Qasim bin Muhammad said, 'My wife died and Muhammad bin Ka'b Al-Qurazi came to condole with me. He related to me that amongst the Bani lsra'il there was a pious, learned man who was an authority [in religion]. He had a wife whom he loved very much. She died and he felt such a great shock that he shut himself in his house, refrained from worldly pursuits and avoided meeting anyone. No one could visit him.'

In an Islamic perspective, it is against Shari'ah to let ourselves be overwhelmed with sadness and sorrow to such an extent that we are unable to discharge our religious and other necessary duties. It is not approved by Allah. And it is a blameworthy act. This is because the sorrowful slave indicates by his behaviour that he is not pleased with Allah's pleasure. It is a grave sin to do that. His attitude also implies that he is displeased with what was decreed.

It is the right of those with whom we are acquainted that we condole with them. It is also a command of Shari'ah to condole with the bereaved and share his loss. Words of comfort may be uttered when condoling. This is what Muharnmad bin Ka'b Al-Qurazi did when he consoled Qasim bin Muhammad.

This narrative, also tells us that even the learned and righteous become unaware sometimes and they lose the chain of their knowledge momentarily. But, they soon regain awareness on a slight indication. 

It is also not improper to love one's wife' deeply. Rather, she has a right over it. It also is a means of chastity and modesty. Nevertheless, it is imperative that one must not allow his love for his wife to overcome his duty to Allah and His commands, and he must not ignore the injunctions of Shari'ah because of his love for his wife. If his love for his wife causes him to neglect the injunctions of Shari'ah or to perpetrate sin then such a love is disallowed and unlawful.

A woman heard of that and went to his doors and said. 'I have a religious question to ask him and I shall put it to him alone and it is not possible for me but to see him." (Soon,) all those who were there went away disappointed but she was unmoved and did not go back insisting that there was no way out but to meet him. So, someone told him that there was a woman with a question and while other people had gone away she did not leave the door. The scholar allowed her in his house. The woman went to him and said that she had a question to ask.

'What is it?' he enquired. She said, 'I had borrowed some jewellery from a woman neighbour and wore it for a long time and it had been with me as a loan all this time. Now that woman wants it back. So, shall I return it to her?' He said, 'Yes, by Allah, return it!' She pleaded. 'But it has been with me for such a length of time...' He said, 'That is why it makes it more imperative that you should return it for she gave it to you for such a long time at your request.'

She said, 'O you! The Lord be merciful to you! Why do you feel sorry for that which the Lord lent you (for a time) and then took it back from you? The Lord has a greater right than you.'

The man contemplated over the matter and Allah granted him wisdom from her words.[Narrated by Imam Malik in Muwatta; shahih according to Shaikh Shuaib Al-Arnauth]

In this context, the woman  used two approaches to convey her messages. Firstly, with a metaphor, and secondly, by direct reminder. She has been shown to speak wisely and without pretence to a learned scholar. In fact, she is shown to have used a psychological approach to convey to him the realities of life and she succeeded in bringing him out of his state of shock.

Occasionally, it is the duty of the intelligent people to politely and wisely remind, in this context, a scholar, if he happens to do something out of unawareness or forgetfulness. The woman very wisely reminded the scholar what he should do really. She knew very well that if a religious scholar succumbs to unawareness then he can become the cause of the unawareness of the entire world-all the people. She knew that she should try to bring him out of that condition. She also knew that it was very important to bring him back to facts and that is why she did not hesitate to surrender her dignity at his threshold.

There is no prohibition for women, if they try to teach and spread goodness to humans, as long as they can keep themselves from harm and do not fall into things that are not permissible."

The Moon wrapped up the story, 'At times, we use examples and parables to convey a message. Often examples and similitudes bring facts to light. The Qur'an has frequently used examples to explain its Truth, but on other hand, gives direct warning. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) often explained his teachings by giving examples, and also, live alert. Indeed, there are situations that require us to speak frankly. Most importantly, how to convey a message or argument, both in written and spoken form, effectively and in a better way, to the listener, and of course by following good aesthetics and ethics, so that our message is easily received. And Allah knows best."

Citations & Reference:
- Mohammad Zakariya Iqbal, Stories from the Hadith, Darul Isha'at.

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